


A Thread Amongst Many: Obikin One-Shots

by SilverDaye



Series: Sword of the Sith [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: 20 Days of Obikin Challenge, Alternate Universe, Angst, Cute, Family, Fluffy, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, One Shot, Romance, Sith Obi-Wan, Skywalker Family, Tumblr Challenge, Vaderkin, emperor obi-wan, obikin, romantic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-04-23 07:27:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14327544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverDaye/pseuds/SilverDaye
Summary: Obikin one-shots. Some really AU. Some not. Some dark. Some fluffy.Story 6:Anakin chases General Grievous into a cave, where he almost gets trapped in a cave-in. Obi-Wan comes to comfort him afterward.Story 7:Anakin left the order four years ago and now lives on Naboo as a single parent with his twin children. Obi-Wan comes to visit bringing Anakin news and a question.Story 8:Obi-Wan died at the Second Battle of Geonosis, at least that's what Anakin believed. Until Obi-Wan shows back up as a Sith trying to kill Anakin.





	1. The Pet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This first story is a deeper look into one of the visions Vader gets in my other fic (THE OLD VERSION OF) The Hand that Wields the Sword in chapter 9. You don't have to have read the story. But basic information: Obi-Wan and Anakin/Vader are raised by Sidious. Anakin is a Sith, Obi-Wan is not. Both really hate Sidious.

Obi-Wan laid in the grand plush bed running his hand absentmindedly through Anakin’s curls. The young sith laid curl up against Obi-Wan’s side. His head rested against Obi-Wan’s chest. The room was gradually getting lighter and lighter as the night faded away into morning. He needed to get up and prepare for the day, but Obi-Wan didn’t want to wake Anakin. It was rare for him to be sleeping so peacefully naturally without Obi-Wan’s aid or the use of drugs. 

Obi-Wan sighed as he looked down at the precious sleeping form. He just wanted to stay like this. Just the two of them. Together. A small smile crept on Obi-Wan’s face as he remembered Anakin’s moans and soft mewls from the night before. It was now the only time he heard his voice. Obi-Wan missed Anakin’s voice.

Obi-Wan had hoped that rigorous love making each night would help Anakin sleep, but it hadn’t. Most nights Anakin tossed and turned as echoes of his past sharply invaded his shattered mind. Obi-Wan tried his best to create shields to block the memories out, but Anakin’s mind was too broken to keep them up.

“Oh my sweet one,” Obi-Wan murmured sadly. 

During their final battle with their master, Sidious, Anakin had thrown himself in front of Obi-Wan to protect him. The onslaught was more than just extremely powerful and deadly Force lightning, but an attack of the mind as well. Anyone else, including Obi-Wan, would have died from such an attack. But Anakin crumpled to the ground alive. It had been Sidious’ final card. He was spent, which made taking him down easy. 

Obi-Wan had enjoyed slowly killing Sidious. He wished he could have made it slower. He should have kept the man alive longer. Let him live the pain the old man had put Obi-Wan and Anakin through. But Anakin’s too still body called to Obi-Wan to just kill the man off. Obi-wan hadn’t been aware at the time, but that had been the final act in pushing Obi-Wan to fall completely to the dark side and become a Sith. 

He then claimed Sidious’ throne. He took the name Darth Erus. He had to find his own Sith master. The dead ghosts of the Sith past had answered his call. Emperor Erus started to bend the galaxy to his will as the Sith Empire started to properly flourish.

Though Obi-Wan would have thrown it all away if it meant Anakin would wake up. He laid in a coma in the most secure room of the palace. Each night Obi-Wan would crawl into bed with Anakin. He would smile sadly to himself thinking back to how things had changed. It used to be the younger who would crawl into bed with him. Obi-Wan had picked up Anakin’s bedtime routine. Each time Anakin would come to bed, he would nuzzle Obi-Wan in the back where his neck met his shoulders. Then he’d wrap his arms around Obi-Wan and drift to sleep. Now it was Obi-Wan who did it. 

Each night the Emperor would hold Anakin. Sometimes he would let his hand rest on Anakin’s chest, so he could watch rise and fall evenly. Each morning Obi-Wan would reluctantly unwrap himself from Anakin. He would kiss his forehead, promising to return that night. Promising that the moment Anakin awoke, Obi-Wan would be there. 

It was almost a year into Erus’ reign when Anakin finally awoke. At once Obi-Wan knew something was wrong. Anakin’s eyes were glazed over. He was listless and unresponsive. As Obi-Wan prodded gently along their Force bond he discovered the horror that was Anakin’s mind. It was like broken transparisteel. Sharp shards sliced up. Pieces were stabbing into each other. Obi-Wan wasn’t sure how Anakin was still alive, much less even awake. Obi-Wan tried to start piecing Anakin together, but it was hard work. 

Eventually Anakin got better, but he was still but a shadow of his former self. He never spoke. He followed Obi-Wan everywhere. He was always watching him with his beautiful gold eyes. Anakin would respond to his name, but would flinch at the name Vader. 

“Very well, I won’t call you that,” Obi-Wan said softly. Obi-Wan reached to stroke Anakin’s cheek, and Anakin leaned in to the offered hand. He nuzzled it affectionately. Obi-Wan smiled. “You’re like a little pet aren’t you?” Anakin looked up at him and tilted his head. “Do you like that little nickname? Pet?” 

That was how the nickname started. 

The big problem was Anakin did not like being away from Obi-Wan. He grew restless when Obi-Wan left to play the role of Emperor of the galaxy. Eventually he started to grow aggressive. He would attack and kill any and all who would approach him. Obi-Wan tried to soothe him.

“You can’t just kill anyone, Anakin,” he said softly as he stroked his hair. Anakin only huffled and cuddled against Obi-Wan some more as if saying,  _ They’re not you. You aren’t here. I miss you.  _

Obi-Wan figured out a solution to the problem when a group of senators had been dragged before him. They were traitors to his Empire. They were secretly providing funds and information to rebel cells. He enjoyed unleashing his powers of the dark side on them. He savored their terror and screams. That was when he realized that Anakin was also a Sith. He thrived and fed off fear. Now he was starved of it. _ No wonder he kept attacking the servants _ , Obi-Wan mused. 

That night he dressed Anakin up in an expensive and well tailored outfit. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but smile at how well it flattered Anakin’s figure. Anakin fidgeted uncomfortably. It was different from the loose sleeping clothes he usually wore. 

“You look beautiful,” Obi-Wan said as he ran his hands down Anakin’s side. He stopped at the waist to pull the other in to a passionate kiss. When they pulled away Obi-Wan ran a hand through Anakin’s hair. “Listen very closely, pet. We are going to leave these rooms. You are to stay by my side at all times. Do you understand?” Anakin paused. It took him a bit longer to process words, but eventually he gave a small nod. “Good,” Obi-Wan said. 

Anakin followed Obi-Wan’s directions perfectly, but Obi-Wan could sense the distress in the other. What made Anakin the most uncomfortable was seeing any other being. If they got too close Anakin would softly snarl at them. A few times Obi-Wan had to stop and put a hand on Anakin’s shoulder to calm him down. Eventually they made it to the deep underground prison. 

He led Anakin into a cell. A human man was slouched against the back wall. He barely responded. Only looked at the two with dull eyes. Obi-Wan smiled as he looked over at Anakin.

“You may kill him,” he said with a wave of his hand at the man. 

Anakin looked at the man then back to Obi-Wan. When Obi-Wan didn’t respond, Anakin looked back at the man. He tilted his head to the side then looked back at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan secretly loved Anakin’s cute little confused face. Anakin seemed to be saying,  _ But you told me  _ not  _ to kill _ . Obi-Wan could only smile. 

“There are some people you may kill,” Obi-Wan replied to a statement that was never actually said. 

Again he waved at the man. Again Anakin looked at him curiously. Again he did not act. Only glanced back at Obi-Wan confused. Obi-Wan let out a small breath of a laugh. He shook his head and walked over to the slouched prisoner. The man had long since lost his fight to live. He didn’t move away from Obi-Wan as he approached. Obi-Wan knelt down and cupped the man’s filthy cheek in his hand.

“Look at you,” Obi-Wan said in a smooth voice. 

That was all it took. Obi-Wan could feel Anakin’s rage, jealousy, and possessiveness explode. In one quick action the man was gone. Slammed into the wall. Anakin’s hand was around his throat. There was shortly a loud snapping sound and Anakin let the man fall lifelessly to the floor. Anakin stared at the man for a few minutes before snapping his head up at Obi-Wan. His eyes burned with an anger Obi-Wan hadn’t seen in over a year. His heart skipped beat as he looked like his old Anakin. 

Anakin stomped over to Obi-Wan and grabbed the hand that had touched the prisoner. He brought it up to his face and nuzzled it and left small gentle kisses in the palm. He seemed to be saying,  _ Mine. Mine. Mine _ . Obi-Wan could only smile. His free hand stroked Anakin’s cheek. 

“Yes, my pet, I’m yours,” he confirmed. Anakin was the only person he’d ever claim he belonged to. Almost his whole life he had been enslaved to others. He had killed off all those who he had to call master. It was why he took the name Darth Erus. In some forgotten language it meant master, so let the whole galaxy call him master now. 

They moved on to the next cell. It only took a small nod of Obi-Wan’s head before Anakin quickly lashed out killing the prisoner. They moved on to the next and the next. When Anakin was finally sated, Obi-Wan brought him back to his rooms. Once inside he pushed Anakin against the wall. He crashed into his lips. Anakin wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan pulling them close. Darkness swirled around the two. 

“Now, pet,” Obi-Wan murmured. “Let’s feed your other appetite.” He grabbed Anakin’s rich shirt and pulled it off of him. Then pushed him to the bed. 

After that Anakin became Obi-Wan’s shadow. His pet. He truly followed Obi-Wan everywhere. Obi-Wan made sure to let Anakin loose. To feed his dark powers. Obi-Wan enjoyed watching Anakin eye his prey, stalk it, and kill it. 

One afternoon Obi-Wan was in his throne room. An officer dressed in a gray military uniform approached the throne. Obi-Wan lounged on it sideways. His feet were kicked up over an armrest, while his back leaned against the other. He seemed bored. He wore an outfit of black, gold and red. 

“Your majesty,” the officer said as he bowed. “I have brought Moff Cravlen.” 

Two white troopers dragged an overweight balding man up to the throne. Only Obi-Wan’s gold eyes moved as he finally stared down. He looked annoyed. Disgusted. But then he let loose a cruel smile. 

“Moff Cravlen,” Obi-Wan said in a venomous but please voice. “Have you met my pet?” 

The moff was wide eyed as he glanced around the throne room. His terror was rising as he imagined all sorts of horrible beasts that might be unleashed upon him. 

“Pet?” Obi-Wan called as he held his hand up in the air. 

Vader stepped out from behind the throne. He moved gracefully and silently. He walked up to Obi-Wan’s outstretched hand. He leaned over and nuzzled the hand. Obi-Wan smiled as he stroked Vader’s cheek. 

“Pet,” Obi-Wan said. “There is a new toy here for you. Go enjoy it.” 

Vader’s eyes snapped on to the moff. His gold eyes were like that of predator. Obi-Wan smiled as Vader stalked down the stairs. 

But at night, as the two lay bare entwined in each other’s arms, Obi-Wan couldn’t stop the ache in his heart. He would walk along their Force bond and slowly work on putting one small piece of Anakin’s mind back together. If the nightmares returned, they should shake Anakin’s mind. He would whimper and Obi-Wan would have to withdraw. He would hold Anakin tighter and give Force suggestions to sleep. If that didn’t work, he would inject him with a small but strong amount of a sleeping medicine. Once Anakin’s breathing was even, Obi-Wan would cross the bond again to slowly piece back together his beloved. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "Pet" vision was probably my favorite vision in the lot from chapter 9 of The Hand that Wields the Sword. However, it is clearly not one of the visions that will come to pass. But I still wanted to do a bit more with it.


	2. Sandstone Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clone Wars: Obi-Wan and Anakin find themselves back on Coruscant on break from the war. Anakin had hoped to spend time with Obi-Wan, but the other Jedi keeps spending his nights elsewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unrelated to any other fic. More canon friendly. My attempts are writing something cute. I like me some dark AUs and drama, so this was a bit of challenge for me to write.

Anakin paced the small bedroom of his sleeping quarters in the Jedi Temple. It was third night in a row that Obi-Wan was gone. They were on a break from the war. This should be a time to relax. Anakin had hoped it would be time for them to spend together without the weight of the war crashing down on them. 

Usually Anakin would spend his evening at Obi-Wan’s quarters. As a Jedi Master of the Jedi Council, his quarters were larger. The two would talk. Sometimes Anakin would bring some droid or engine part to work on. Obi-Wan would complain about Anakin turning his sitting room into a junk yard or garage. Ahsoka would often join them. She would work on her homework, or at least attempt to. She often got dragged into the arguments and conversations of the other two. 

Anakin liked things that way. He liked spending time with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. But now Obi-Wan was out. Anakin finally found out where he had been going. The past three evenings he had gone to Padmé’s apartment. Padmé was just a close friend of Obi-Wan and Anakin. Right? Anakin and Padmé had brief fling of romantic feelings for each other, but the two decided it was best to call it off. They each their own duties to attend to. However, that didn’t hinder them from forming a good friendship. But Anakin couldn’t bite back the fear of what if Obi-Wan and Padmé had now formed some romantic feelings?

Anakin had a hard time pushing down his jealousy. He paced through his small room. He shook his head as he realized he was being silly. He was making this a bigger problem than it probably was. He was letting his thoughts runaway from him. He could imagine the lecture from Obi-Wan now. “You’re being too emotional. Let your feelings go into the Force.” Anakin paused and took a deep breath, attempting to do just that. It was only halfway successful. 

The next morning at the commissary, Anakin spots Obi-Wan eating breakfast. Anakin plopped his tray down next to him. 

“Good morning, Obi-Wan,” Anakin said cheerfully. Obi-Wan looked up over his bowl of fruit and smiled warmly.

“Anakin, good morning.” 

“I was hoping you could come help with Ahsoka’s diplomacy essay tonight,” Anakin offered. “You know I’m no good at such things.”

“Then perhaps taking some time to read Ahsoka's padawan leveled textbook will do you some good,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin didn’t hide the groan that came out. “Come now, master. Who better to tutor Ahsoka than you?” 

“How about her actual master? Having a padawan is not easy, Anakin.”

Anakin didn’t reply. He filled his mouth with breakfast stewing over how to proceed. He had hoped to invite Obi-Wan over, but so far that plan hadn’t gone anywhere. 

“Is it because you have other plans tonight?” Anakin finally said as he sulked a bit. 

“I do have a previous engagement,” Obi-Wan said nonchalantly. 

“Yeah?” Anakin prodded. But Obi-Wan never responded. He finished his breakfast and told Anakin goodbye. Anakin just poked at the rest of his food, finding himself suddenly not hungry. 

That night he stood at the worktable in his room. He had found a mouse droid that seemed to turn left slower than it did when it turned right. Of course he had found multiple other ways to improve the droid as well. Ahsoka sat on his bed. Three datapads were scattered around her as she worked on her essay.

“Master,” she said. “You aren’t being very helpful. You’re just over there working on a droid.” 

“Sorry,” Anakin mumbled. “I won’t be much help to you.” 

“Clearly,” Ahsoka mumbled back at him. “How did you even pass your diplomacy classes? What were your negotiation essays like? Jump through a window? Hack into their droids? Sneak around in their air vents?” 

“Hey!” Anakin snapped. “I passed!” Ahsoka just stared at him. “Sure it wasn’t my strongest class . . .” Anakin continued. “I told Obi-Wan I was no good at this! I asked him to help you, but he’s busy.” 

“Oh yeah, he’s over at Padmé’s,” Ahsoka said. 

“What?” Anakin asked surprised. 

“Yeah I first asked him for help,” she replied. 

“Did Obi-Wan mention why he was over at Padme’s?”

“Said he was cashing in on a favor with her, but didn’t state what,” Ahsoka said with a shrug. She turned her attention back to her essay. Anakin was left to stew in his thoughts. 

Obi-Wan’s nightly visits to Padme’s continued for another two days. Anakin only got grouchier and grouchier as the days went on. What kind of favor could Obi-Wan be asking of Padme that took almost a week? That’s when he realized he had yet to ask Padme about it. He brought out his commlink and dialed Padme’s frequency. Anakin was shortly faced with a small blue holograph of Padme. 

“Anakin,” she greeted warmly with a smile. 

“Hello Padme,” Anakin said. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Of course not,” Padme replied. “Is there something you need?” 

“I was just hoping perhaps we could get together. Talk. Catch up. I am home from the war front for a bit.”

“That sounds great. Perhaps you would like to come over to my place? Perhaps for dinner?” 

Anakin couldn’t stop his smile. If Obi-Wan was going to be at Padme’s, that was when he would be there. “Dinner sounds great. I’ll see you then.” 

Anakin arrived at Padme’s place at the arranged time. However, when he went inside he wasn’t met with the senator but with Obi-Wan. 

“Anakin, you made it,” Obi-Wan said cheerfully. 

“I . . . uh . . . where’s Padme?” Anakin asked as he looked around. 

“Oh she got called away at the last minute,” Obi-Wan said. “I’m afraid it’s just the two of us for dinner. You don’t mind do you?”

“No . . .” Anakin said. Something was off. Obi-Wan had lied just now, but Anakin couldn’t quite place the lie. Obi-Wave turned and started walking towards the dining room. Anakin followed. The dining table had been set for two. Obi-Wan took a seat and Anakin followed. 

“I have a surprise for you,” Obi-Wan said. 

A serving droid entered carrying a tray of two bowls. One was set down in front of each Jedi. Anakin looked at the golden yellow soup in the bowl. 

“So what’s the surprise?” Anakin asked. 

Obi-Wan picked up his spoon and dipped it into the soup. “First try the soup,” he said as he brought his own spoon up. 

Anakin sighed and followed Obi-Wan’s example. The taste was warm, buttery, with a bit of spice. Anakin knew he had tasted it before but couldn’t quite place it. 

“How is it?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“It’s fine,” Anakin said. “Now the surprise?”

“It’s the soup!” Obi-Wan said. “I uh . . . it’s uh Sandstone Soup. From Tatooine. I remember you talking about when you were little. When you had just become my padawan. I’ve spent the past few nights here at Padme’s trying to learn how to make it. I doubt it is how your mother made it . . .”

Anakin looked down at the soup again. He took another spoonful. No, it wasn’t like his mother’s. But it was close. Similar enough. Now that he knew what to look for, he could taste the spices that would have been only available to poor slaves. It was a simple dish. One common amongst the slave quarters and poor. You didn’t find it anywhere else.

Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan. He was staring intently at Anakin, obviously watching for a reaction. 

“I . . . uh . . . how . . .” Anakin stumbled. 

Anakin realized how much time this had taken to plan. Obi-Wan had to first get a hold of recipe, and Anakin was sure that was not an easy task. Then Anakin saw Obi-Wan attempting to make the soup again and again in Padme’s kitchen. Obi-Wan was not a talented cook. No wonder it had taken him days to get the soup down. 

“Thank you,” Anakin said finally. “Sorry I was just at a loss of words. It really does make me think of my mother. Thank you, Obi-Wan.” 

Obi-Wan let off a beautiful smile and started to blush. Anakin could only smile back. 

“Let me know how to make it better in the future,” Obi-Wan said. 

“Well there is one important ingredient you forgot,” Anakin said. 

“Oh?”

“Sand,” Anakin said. “It gave everything on Tatooine a nice gritty texture. I think that’s why I didn’t quite recognize the soup at first.” 

“Well if you insist,” Obi-Wan said, “I’m sure I can dig some up somewhere.” 

“You have to careful with it though,” Anakin said smiling, “Certain sand lends itself to certain flavors. For example, fine grain sand is like salt. Good in everything. But sand broken off from canyons, now that stuff you to be careful with-”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan broke in. 

Anakin laughed. “Fine we go without the sand.” He took another spoonful of the soup which brought back memories of a childhood long ago with a mother he had never forgotten. But now he had new memories to attach it to. Of a warm smile and blushing cheeks. 


	3. Dark Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-ROTS AU: A mysterious new Sith has appeared three years after the rise of the Empire. He has killed the Organas and left a personal calling card for Darth Vader. It is the lightsaber of Anakin Skywalker with a set a coordinates that lead Vader to Tatooine. This new Sith clearly knows of Vader's past. A past Vader wants dead.

Darth Vader walked through the halls of the Alderaan royal palace in the city of Aldera. The bodies of guards and staff were strewn about. Vader was all too familiar with this type of carnage. Some bodies simply laid untouched on the ground. Others had been thrown into a wall, while others had limbs at odd angles or pushed into their body. Other bodies had deep burn gashes slashed across them. There were cauterized limbs and body parts littering the floor. 

This was all the work of Force user, but this was not a Jedi. It was a Sith.

Vader had already reviewed the security holos. A humanoid man in black robes descended upon the palace. The large hood was pulled low, hiding the face within its shadows. The residents of the palace stood no chance. Blaster shots had been blocked or bounced back. Bodies were thrown and crushed by the Force being wielded by the Sith. 

Vader finally found himself in the personal quarters of the royal family. The fighting seemed more intense here. Blaster burn marks littered the wall. There were even a few deep gashes from a lightsaber. Bodies were piled by a doorway that led to the last stand of the royal family. Vader stepped into the room. His long black cloak brushing along some of the bodies. 

The room had been tastefully and delicately decorated. A picturesque room for a young princess. Yet now Vader could still feel the terror and horror lingering in the Force. Vader found Senator Organa first. He laid on his back. His eyes wide in terror. His hands were to his throat, yet it looked like the Sith got too hasty. A lightsaber strike had sliced the senator in half along the waist. 

The queen was against a wall. The wall was marked and scuffed from the impact her body had made. Blood smeared from her initial impact down to the body. There was a neat lightsaber wound to her heart. Vader looked from the queen to the senator. Then he walked over to what had require his personal attention here. 

Sitting neatly on the windowsill was a box. Written in a rough handwriting it read:  _ Darth Vader _ . Vader walked over to it and opened the box. He already knew what was inside it. He had looked over all the crime scene holos, but seeing it in real life still caused him to miss a breath. Luckily his suit provided it for him anyways. Inside the box was the lightsaber of Anakin Skywalker. 

Vader took the saber hilt from the box. The weight and balance of the hilt brought an instant sense of familiarity to the fallen Jedi. He rotated the hilt back and forth taking a closer look at it, but nothing seemed amiss. 

Vader was filled with a hundred different questions. Who was this mysterious Sith? Why had they attacked the Organas? How did he have Skywalker’s lightsaber? The last person to have it had been Obi-Wan Kenobi. Had this Sith stolen Vader’s revenge? Had he slain Kenobi and taken Anakin’s lightsaber? Why leave it here?

Something in the Force kept nudging Vader towards his old lightsaber. He floated it in the air before him using the Force, and slowly started to take the saber apart. Slowly the parts of the saber slid apart. However, there was something missing. The blue kyber crystal. Instead there was a rolled up piece of flimsi. Vader summoned it to him while he simultaneously put the saber back together. 

He clipped the saber onto his belt next to his current saber. He unrolled the flimsi. Written in the same handwriting as the name of the box was a message. It was a set of coordinates with the words:  _ For Anakin Skywalker or should I say Darth Vader _ . Vader let the sense of rage he had been holding pulse through him. The dark side of the Force welcomed and rejoiced in this anger. Vader lashed out as toys started to rattle and break apart. 

This was now personal. This whole attack appeared to be some calling card to Vader. Whoever this Sith was, knew Vader’s past. A past Vader wanted dead. If this Sith wanted to meet with Vader, than so be it. Vader was more than willing to comply. 

Vader’s rage calmed down. Again his eyes fell to the dead royal couple. The one thing Vader didn’t understand was why had the Sith taken the young princess? The girl was no more than three years old. The holos showed the Sith leaving the palace with a sleeping princess in his arms. The girl looked uninjured. 

Vader hated playing whatever game this Sith lord had set up.

* * *

The coordinates from inside the saber had led Vader to Tatooine. Yes, this was indeed personal. Vader had informed his master, the Emperor, of the message inside the lightsaber. He had only mentioned the coordinates, not the additional words. Darth Sidious wanted this new Sith brought to him alive. Jealousy only raged within Vader as he could sense his master’s greed. Vader knew that Sidious despised Vader’s weakness. He was no longer a young healthy man, but someone who was half of what he used to be and confined to this suit.

Sidious would be getting no new apprentice. Vader had paid far too a high a price for his position. No one would take it from him. 

Vader’s rage only continued to grow as he piloted his shuttle towards the coordinates on Tatooine. As he landed outside the small homestead, he instantly recognized it. Reaching out through the Force, Vader felt no other lifeforms. So Vader let himself walk across the sands to the tombstones. He stopped in front of the one marked Shmi Skywalker Lars. 

A deep pain inside Vader flared up. One Anakin Skywalker had never been able to completely rid himself of, and as such now haunted the Sith he had become. Vader clenched his hands, twirled from the graves, and stormed into the homestead. He was not surprised to find the bodies of his so-called step-brother and his wife. Like the Organas they had been slain by a lightsaber. There was pure terror in the eyes of Owen and Beru Lars. Owen had a blaster rifle sliced clean in half by his side. Beru had stabbed in the back as she was going up some stairs. 

Vader stepped over her body and walked up the stairs. Inside was a bedroom for a child. Small toys littered the floor. There was a tiny pair of boots in the corner. Vader walked to the bed, which had been made neatly. Sitting on top of the covers was a small box. On top of that was a small toy podracer. Vader knocked the toy aside and collected the box. Inside was another note on flimsi. It read:  _ Test the vials to your own blood. If you want the truth, come to these coordinates. Alone. Don’t trust Sidious.  _

Vader pulled out one of the small vials inside the box. It was blood. What was the meaning of this? Vader couldn’t quite put all the pieces together. It was clear this Sith knew Vader’s life very well. This homestead where his mother was buried. The toy podracer. All clear symbols of Anakin Skywalker. 

But why the children? Clearly there had been one here as well. A boy from what Vader guessed. He saw the name Luke carved neatly on a toy on the ground. Vader wondered what happened to the boy. Perhaps he had been taken by the Sith as the princess had been. But what role did the children play in this game? Vader took the box and left the room. 

He searched the searched the rest of the home, but find no other clues left by the Sith. He did find a small holo that showed a small boy. The similarity between this farm boy and a slave boy were strikingly familiar. Was this why the boy was taken? To be some stand-in? Did this Sith think a fellow Sith would care for some farm boy?

Vader stormed from the farm, returned to his shuttle, and made his way back to the star destroyer awaiting him in orbit. 

* * *

Anger. Rage. An absolute fury radiated off of Darth Vader. It lashed out in waves in his room on the star destroyer. Cracks started to appear on the walls, the floor, and ceiling. The transparisteel windows broke in a pattern of spider web-like cracks. The vials of blood . . . They were . . . The readout from the droid still echoed inside of Darth Vader.

99.99% paternal match between samples. 99.99% paternal match . . . 

He had children! Twins! He was a father! The children . . . the children the Sith took. They were  _ his  _ children. The children between him and Padmé. The farm boy looked like Anakin because he was Anakin’s. The girl . . . Vader had pulled up images of the Organas. How had Vader not seen it before? The girl looked like  _ her _ . The same brown hair and brown eyes. 

Padmé . . . His angel . . . She had died . . . He had killed her. He had seen the holos of her funeral. The swollen stomach. Sidious said the child had died with her due to what Vader had done in his anger. Sidious had . . .  _ lied _ .

_ Don’t trust Sidious _ . The note had said.  _ If you want the truth, come to these coordinates. _

Vader would get more than the truth. He would get his children as well. No one would stop him from this. No one would keep him from what was his. He would have them. Darth Vader would slay all who stood in his way. This mysterious new Sith. Darth Sidious. Whole planets if need be. 

The set of coordinates led Vader to a now abandoned medical facility on one of the asteroids of Polis Massa. Vader wasn’t sure why this Sith had chosen this place. Vader now understood the importance of Alderaan and Tatooine, but why Polis Massa? There was a story here as well and it was connected in some way to Vader. The Force hummed in agreement with this statement. 

Vader walked through the dilapidated facility. Someone had restored the power and life support systems. Though Vader wondered how much energy reserves this place had left. Within the Force Vader could sense another presence. It was the only life form in this place. Even if it was amongst a hundred or a thousand life forms, it would have stood out from the rest. It was strong and dark. It was the Force signature of a Sith. 

Vader found the Sith in one of the medical rooms. The Sith stood patiently, arms crossed, waiting against the far wall. He still looked as Vader had seen him in the security holos of the Alderaan Royal Palace. He wore a full length black cloak. The hood pulled low to hide his face. The cloak was pulled across the chest, hiding any clothes underneath.

“I knew you would come,” the Sith spoke. The voice was smooth. Possibly with a Coruscant accent. But it was also fake. He was speaking through a vocoder. “Anakin Skywalker,” the Sith added. It was an obvious tease. 

“Anakin Skywalker is dead,” Darth Vader responded. 

“Yes, a fact I’m all too aware of,” the Sith responded. 

“You seem all too aware of me, Sith,” Vader replied. “You know a lot about me. Yet I know nothing of you.” 

“Tell me do you know how some Siths get their names? They are generally chosen by their masters. Was your name not, Vader? Why the name Vader?”

Vader stayed silent. The only sound coming from him was of his mechnicial breathing. 

“Sith masters choose a name based on their character. Darth Sidious was insidious with the way he used his cunning to become Emperor. Darth Maul was a warrior who mauled others. Darth Plagueis studied diseases and plagues in his quest for immortality. Darth Revan sought revenge against the Jedi. Darth Bane chose his to be the bane of his family. And yours Darth Vader chosen to be the invader of the Jedi Order.”

The Sith fell quiet. It was obvious what was expected of Vader. He wasn’t in the mood for playing this Sith’s game, but Vader was also growing impatient. So he asked, “And your name?” 

“Darth Venge.” Sith bowed slightly at the waist. “It means to seek revenge.”

“Enough of this,” Vader snapped. “Your note said to come here for the truth.”

“I take it you tested your blood to those vials I left?” 

One of Vader’s hands clenched into a fist while the other hand came up and pointed at Venge. “Where are my children?” Vader growled. 

“Alive. Safe,” Venge replied. A small amount of relief escaped Vader he hadn’t been aware he had been holding. There was the fear that Venge would have killed the children off. Granted that was still a possibility. 

“Give them to me,” Vader snarled. “You have no right to them.”

“And  _ you _ do?” 

“They are mine!” 

“I cannot argue your claim to them, but I will argue your right,” Venge said with a darker tone. “Especially after what you did to their mother. You didn’t even know the children lived, did you?”

Vader was silent as his anger boiled inside of him. “Do not speak of things you do not know,” Vader hissed dangerously. 

“Ahh but I do know,” Venge said playfully. “You choked her. In your rage and jealousy. Not far from here in fact. On Mustafar. Do you know why I brought you here? Why I picked this room out of all the other rooms? This is where she was brought. This is where she gave birth. This is where she died.” 

Vader couldn’t help but glance around the room. His gaze lingered on the table. He reached out into the Force. He didn’t know what he was expecting. As if there would be some echo from the trauma that had happened three years ago. As if hearing his call, the Force answered. He heard her voice. Distant and weak. 

 

_ Luke . . . _

_. . . Leia _

_ There is still good in him . . . _

 

And then it is gone. Leaving the heart Vader thought died three years ago, pounding and aching at hearing her voice again. He couldn’t stop the power of the dark side the surge inside him. Multiplying in strength as it soaked up Vader’s anger, grief, and guilt. Powerful Force waves lashed out in the room. Darth Venge stood unaffected. 

“How . . .” Vader finally managed to choke out. “How do you know this?” 

“That is the wrong question,” Venge replied as he looked around the room noting the destruction. 

“I tire of this game, Venge. Tell me what I want to know.” 

“The proper question is who are you? For that also answers your question.” 

“Very well,” Vader growled between clenched teeth. “Who are you?” 

Venge stepped forward. His gloved hands went into his hood and pulled out a half-mask. One that was meant to cover the bottom half of his face. A vocoder was embedded inside. He tossed the mask to the floor then again his hands disappeared into the hood. Then he slowly pulled the hood down. 

“ _ Obi-Wan _ !” Vader shouted summoning and igniting his red lightsaber immediately upon seeing that face. He had barely gotten a good look at the face, but Vader would know it anywhere. He still wore his beard with the same cut. His hair was slicked back, and his eyes were . . . yellow?

Darth Venge ignited his own red lightsaber in response and met Vader’s blow. Vader noted it was the same hilt as Obi-Wan’s. 

“Back down,  _ Anakin _ ,” Venge snarled. “You cannot win against me.” 

“You did this to me!” Vader shouted. “You left me to die after you mutilated me! After you took Padmé from me! Now you take my children from me as well! You. Will. Die!” 

Blue lightning poured from Venge’s hand and struck into Vader. Vader went flying into the wall. He slid down it. It was suddenly hard to breath as the circuits in his suit struggled with the overflow of energy. His secondary support system kicked in. But then Vader felt dark tendrils wrapping around him and pinning him to the wall. Venge walked forward and picked up Vader’s fallen lightsaber. He turned it off as well as his own. He clipped both sabers to his belt. He slowly approached Vader. Vader said nothing. He collected his fury, ready to lash out at Obi-Wan the first moment he could. 

Venge now stood directly in front of Vader. He knelt in front of Vader and slowly reached out towards his helmet. Vader tried to jerk away, but found he could not move. Venge slowly reached under the helmet and found the release. With a small hissing noise the helmet released. He placed the helmet on the ground and again his hands came up. This time to the mask. Vader felt the hands against his scarred skin. Skin scarred due to those very hands. 

Venge pulled away the mask, leaving Vader’s face exposed except for his respirator. Yellow eyes tinged in red glared at Obi-Wan. _ Let him see what he was done _ , Vader snarled to himself. Vader brought his eyes to meet the yellow of Obi-Wan and was surprised to see remorse. Deep pain had fallen across Venge’s face as he took in the white and pink scarred face. 

“Oh, my dear one,” Venge said softly. “What have I done?” 

A pain Vader was all too familiar with, cracked inside him. Over and over again Vader had replayed the final words of Obi-Wan. Over and over again he had used them to fuel his hate and his powers to the dark side. How could Obi-Wan love him and yet strike him down and leave him for dead on the side of a lava river?

Venge’s hands slowly came up and touched Vader’s face. Vader flinched, at least the best he could while under Venge’s force hold. Yet the fingers were gentle, but it still pained his over sensitive skin. The fingers moved gently along his scarred cheeks and then up to his forehead and around the sides. 

“Do it,” Vader hissed, but his voice was weak and raspy without the vocoder. 

“Do what?” 

“Kill me,” Vader said. “Finish what you have started.” 

Yellow eyes searched yellow eyes. One pair was full of hate and shame. The other pair was under a pair of furrowed brows etched deep with sorrow and guilt. 

“What are you waiting for?” Vader asked. “Do you not wish to follow your namesake? To seek revenge? Here is your chance.”

“Is not to seek revenge against you,” Venge replied softly. “I . . . I should, shouldn’t I? After all you’ve done. You killed so many. Destroyed everyone. Everything. And yet . . . when I fled into exile after Mustafar . . . even then I couldn’t stop loving you. I despised myself for it. I tried to banish and release those feelings into the Force over and over again, but yet I never could. I couldn’t stop loving you.”

The pain that had started to crack at Vader’s heart was growing deeper with each word Venge said. 

“That’s when I realized,” Venge continued. “The one I really hated was Palpatine.  _ Sidious _ . That man . . . that man used me, you, Padmé, the Jedi Order, the entire Republic all for his own desires. He was the one responsible for everything. He was the one who ordered the Clone Troopers to kill the Jedi. He was the one who took you away from me.

“The dark thoughts circled around and around me. I was on Tatooine. I was to watch over Luke. Owen Lars wouldn’t let me near the boy. Wouldn’t let me have anything to do with him. Wouldn’t let me see him. The last remnant I had of Anakin was being kept from me. It was too much. The dark thoughts dragged me down and I fell. I fell to the dark side. It welcomed me with open arms, and I welcomed it. What else was there for me? I had lost everything. 

“That’s when I heard the call of my master, Darth Plagueis. Long since dead at the hands of his apprentice Sidious. A ghost. But one who heard my voice in the Force. My need for vengeance.” 

Venge leaned forward and gently brought his mouth to Vader’s forehead. He left the softest kiss he could. 

Venge continued his story. “After I finished my training, the first thing I did was reclaim the children. Your children. The ones entrusted to me by Padmé. I should have never listened to  _ Yoda _ .” The name was growled out. “I knew once I had the children then you would come to me.” Venge leaned back but his hands still rested on Vader’s cheeks. “And here you are.”

“What is it that you want, Obi-Wan?” Vader asked. His voice weak. His breathing was becoming harder as he was now forced to breath regular air than his super oxygenated air provided by his suit.

“I want my revenge,” Venge replied with a smile. “I am going to kill Sidious, but first I’ll take back what he took from me.” He paused as once again he left a small kiss on Vader’s tender skin. “Simply, I want you.” Vader just stared in response. Venge leaned forward into Vader’s ear. “Pledge yourself to me, Vader. I will be your master once again.”

“Why . . . why . . . would I do that?” Vader said. “After everything you did to me?” 

“Why should you stay with Sidious?” Venge snarled. “What has he given you? This suit? Is this any way to live? Look at you! Did he even attempt to heal you before he threw you in there? Now you’re trapped in there, a mere fraction of your old self, doing the bidding of whatever chore your master has set for you like the good little slave you are.”

Vader attempted to lurch forward, but was still being held down. He grit his teeth and let out a low hiss. 

“I know you’re sensitive to being called a slave,” Venge said sadly, “but I only speak the truth. Vader pledge yourself to me. I will give you everything. Your children. Your health. I can heal you. I have learned the secrets of the dark side that Sidious promised you to keep Padmé safe, but never taught you. I will give you myself. My love. Please, Anakin. Be mine.” 

Vader’s thoughts went a million places. He leaned his back. He found he actually could. He closed his eyes. He felt his mask being slipped back on followed shortly by his helmet. He took deep breaths, as deep of breaths as he could with his damaged lungs, to fill himself up with the super oxygenated air. 

Venge. Obi-Wan. Had spoken the truth. Vader could feel it within the Force. It brought him shame and guilt. It was true. Sidious had indeed given Vader nothing. The one thing the young fool Anakin asked for, to save Padmé, had never come to pass. 

“Was I . . . Was I the one who killed Padmé?” Vader asked. “Did I cause her death?” Obi-Wan would know. He was there. Here. In this room. 

“I don’t know . . .” Venge replied softly. “The med droids did not know what was wrong. They stated she had lost the will to live. It could have been the damage from the injury combined with the toxic fumes of Mustafar. Plagueis theorized it was Sidious who killed her. Siphoned her life away to keep you alive.” 

Vader fell silent again. He could sense the growing anxiety in the other Sith. 

“Is this the life you wanted?” Venge asked softly. “Please, pledge yourself to me. Come with me. Come to your children. We can be a family.” 

“We . . .?” 

“Yes, my dear one. Me. You. Luke. Leia. Isn’t that all you ever wanted?”

_ Yes _ , Vader’s heart told him. He had always wanted a family. It was why he had created C3PO. To create a bigger family for him and his mother. It was why losing Ahsoka hurt so much. Why Obi-Wan’s betrayal had hurt even more. 

Vader closed his eyes. Could he renounce Sidious? Could he pledge himself to Venge? To Obi-Wan? The man who had betrayed him? The one who came to kill him? Almost did kill him? Should have killed him instead of leaving him to rot and fester in this damned suit? 

But Vader already knew which master he wanted. His heart ached the answer to him. He wanted Obi-Wan. He wanted everything he offered. Even if he couldn’t heal him, Vader wanted his children. He wanted to be with Obi-Wan. And like Venge, Vader wanted to kill Sidious. The moment he had entered this suit and discovered Padmé was dead, Vader knew he wanted Sidious dead. 

“Yes,” Vader finally said. His voice deep coming out of the vocoder, but still weak. “I will pledge myself to you.” 

Venge just stared wide eyed at Vader. His golden eyes searched the black lenses of Vader’s mask. Searching for the gold eyes underneath. Then Venge smiled. A beautiful smile that held a mixture of relief and joy. 

“I knew you would,” Venge whispered. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was enjoying his moment of victory. He opened his eyes and stood. “Then kneel before me, Darth Vader. Swear yourself to me as your master.” 

Slowly Vader came to kneel down before Venge. He repeated the words he had once sworn to Darth Sidious. “I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the Sith.”

He felt Obi-Wan’s presence in his mind. But it was no longer of a Jedi, but of a Sith. He felt Venge feel for the master-apprentice bond that connected Vader to Sidious. Vader let out a sharp gasp as Venge snapped and severed the bond then reconnected to himself.

“Rise, Darth Vader.” Venge ordered. Vader followed the order of his new master. 

“What is thy bidding, my master?” Vader asked. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the intro to a much longer fic I would like to write one day. But I told myself "no more mutlichapter fics until you finish one of the ones you are currently writing." But I never said I couldn't do the first chapter as a one shot. It's to be a story about two Siths being dads trying to kill off that other Sith.


	4. The Bounty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THTWTS Vision: Anakin and Obi-Wan have left their Sith Masters to fend for themselves as a bounty hunter and a smuggler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a longer look at a vision from my fic The Hand that Wields the Sword. Basic information: Anakin/Vader and Obi-Wan were raised by Sidious and Dooku. They were both commanders in the Clone Wars for the Separatists.

Obi-Wan sat on the gravity couch in the small hold of his ship. He heard the familiar sound of heavy boots coming up the loading ramp. He soon saw Anakin enter the hold in his bounty hunter getup of black synthleather and armor. An unconscious Duros was slung over his shoulder. Anakin didn’t say a word. He passed through the hold. Obi-Wan knew he was going to go throw bounty in the closet that doubled as a holding pen for any bounties Anakin picked up. 

Anakin came back into the hold. He promptly shed himself of his black cloak and silver metal mask. Both of which he tossed to the floor without care. He sat down on the couch besides Obi-Wan and leaned back. He was sweaty and tired.

“He put up that much of a fight?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“No,” Anakin grumbled. “He was just really good at running and knew the streets really well. Too kriffin well. I almost lost him like five times.” 

“Where do we need to go to cash in on this bounty?”

“Nar Shaddaa. Where else?” 

“Hmm,” Obi-Wan said as he pulled out a datapad that had been resting on the couch nearby. 

“I know you don’t like going there,” Anakin said as he lazily turned his head towards Obi-Wan. 

“Well I do find it uncomfortable going into a hive of bounty hunters and criminals when we ourselves have two biggest bounties in the whole galaxy. I’m just afraid one of these days that those silly disguises won’t work.”

Anakin looked up at the ceiling. The only regret he had about leaving Sidious, was missing the reaction that the old man had when he finally learned of Anakin and Obi-Wan’s desertion. Anakin would have paid a lot of cold hard credits to see it. But now Anakin and Obi-Wan’s face was plastered all over the galaxy.

They were wanted by the Republic as former generals of the Separatist. They were wanted by the Jedi for being a Sith and a dark side user. They were wanted by the Separatists for being deserters and traitors. They wanted by everyone else due the price tag to drag them in. 

Sidious had the largest bounty out for them. Ten million credits for Obi-Wan, dead or alive. Anakin’s was at a staggering five hundred million credits, alive only. If he was brought it dead, it was only a measly one million. But there wasn’t a bounty hunter out there would pass up half a billion for a mere one million.

Yes, Anakin understood Obi-Wan’s reservations about going to Nar Shaddaa. But they needed money. So Anakin took odd jobs. Anything from piloting to bounty hunters to smugglers. It kept them moving and so far one-step ahead of any pursuers. 

“You think Sidious will give up?” Anakin asked. 

“No, I do not think he will,” Obi-Wan replied. “As long as he lives, I doubt he will ever stop trying to hunt you down. Though I’ve heard rumors there is a possible new Sith showing up on the front lines of the war. Vader’s replacement as the gossip goes.”

“A poor fool,” Anakin mumbled. 

“Indeed,” Obi-Wan said a bit thoughtfully. “But I do wonder why the alive-only bounty. Surely Sidious can’t think he can win you back as an apprentice. Seems like a bit much if he’s just out to personally kill you.” 

Anakin was silent for a while. Clearly lost in thought. Obi-Wan didn’t push the matter. He had tried time and time again, but Anakin never revealed why Sidious seemed so determined to get Anakin back. Obi-Wan used his datapad to access a network for black market traders and smugglers. Perhaps they could pick up some cargo to take to Nar Shaddaa along with the bounty hunter. 

“It was a vision,” Anakin said. Obi-Wan had almost forgotten what they were talking about. “One visions Sidious saw from using my power.” Obi-Wan put the datapad down and turned his full attention on Anakin. “He saw . . . He saw my children . . .”

“Children?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“Twins. A boy and a girl. Strong in the Force. Every bit their father’s child. That’s why Sidious wants me back. He doesn’t care about getting me as an apprentice. But my lineage? If he can’t have the Chosen One, he’ll have the next best thing.” 

The two fell silent again. Both left to their own thoughts. Obi-Wan thought over what Anakin had said.  _ Children . . .  _ Obi-Wan couldn’t help but to wonder what had brought about these children since that would require a mother. A bit jealousy flared inside him. Then he sensed amusement coming off Anakin. He looked over to see Anakin with a cocky smile on his face. 

“Jealous?” Anakin asked. “You honestly think I would take up another lover?” 

“Well how else do you get children, Anakin?” Obi-Wan responded a bit dryly. 

“I did see visions of other children,” Anakin said. “Of  _ your  _ children.” Obi-Wan sat in quiet shock. He had had children? “Of our children . . .” Anakin said a bit softly. Obi-Wan wondered if he had meant to say it out loud.

“Do you want children?” Obi-Wan found himself asking after hearing the longing in Anakin’s voice.

“I just . . .” Anakin started. “You know those visions felt so real. I could feel the love. Those children were . . . precious. That probably sounds silly of me.” 

“No, not at all.”

Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan. “Do  _ you  _ want children?” 

“I’ve never really questioned it before,” Obi-Wan responded truthfully. 

Again a silence fell between them. Obi-Wan again got lost in his thoughts. Would he want children? More than half of his life had been dedicated to raising Anakin, which then turned into trying to keep him safe and alive. Starting a family had been the furthest from Obi-Wan’s mind when he was running around trying to do damage control from Anakin’s insolence and arrogance towards their Sith masters.

Anakin scooted closer to Obi-Wan on the couch, closing the distance between them. Anakin wrapped an arm around Obi-Wan’s shoulder, bringing the two together.

“Let me show you,” Anakin whispered as he brought up a hand to Obi-Wan’s forehead. Obi-Wan’s first reaction was to throw up mental shields, but then he started to relax. He closed his eyes and he waited for what Anakin was going to show him.

 

***

_ Obi-Wan stood in a room with large open windows. Outside was green grass and trees swaying slightly in a nice breeze. In his arms was a small baby swaddled in a blue blanket with white polka dots. The baby was sleeping soundly. It had a tuft of red hair on its head. Obi-Wan gently brought the baby up to his face, and kissed the child’s forehead softly.  _

_ There was a small laugh behind him. Obi-Wan turned to see Anakin leaning against the doorway. A loving smile stretched across his face.  _

_ “I never tire of seeing you two like this,” Anakin said as we walked over to Obi-Wan. He placed his hands on Obi-Wan’s hips. He looked down warmly at the child. Then he looked at Obi-Wan. His blue eyes showed nothing but love. Then Anakin leaned over, careful of the child between them, and brought his lips against Obi-Wan’s. Obi-Wan easily met Anakin’s lips and eagerly kissed back. Obi-Wan had to agree. He never tired of this either.  _

_ *** _

 

Then Obi-Wan was once again on the couch in the hold of the smuggler ship. Anakin pulled Obi-Wan in closer and wrapped both arms around him. Obi-Wan leaned his head against Anakin’s shoulder. Anakin had rarely shown Obi-Wan any of the actual visions that haunted him to this day. Obi-Wan knew Anakin didn’t actually like dwelling on them too much. There had been too many. Anakin had almost completely lost himself in the visions. 

In fact Anakin had only ever shown him four other visions before. But this one . . . this one was different. The child had felt . . . real. He could recall the small bundle weighing in arms. The weight. The soft skin and the tickle of the feathery hair. And most of all Obi-Wan recalled the love. The deep unconditional love that Obi-Wan didn’t know he had in him for anyone besides Anakin. 

“So, do you want children?” Anakin asked cheekly. 

 

* * *

The ramp of the ship lowered. Anakin walked out into a dingy spaceport. Obi-Wan followed behind him. The two wore spacer clothes of leather jackets and tight pants with long cloaks on top. Each had the hood pulled low to hide their faces. Even two years after leaving the Sith and the Separatists behind, the bounty still held. Anakin frowned at the grimy surroundings.

“Do you miss it?” Obi-Wan asked. “We could go back. Cash in on our own bounties. I’m sure the Republic might welcome us in if we offered to help take down the Separatists. Not sure how happy the Jedi would be about that.”

“No,” Anakin said. He looked over at Obi-Wan and took his hand. “I’m not looking to go back, especially for what is waiting for us ahead.” 

The two shared a smile. They walked into the spaceport hand and hand. They left the ship behind. Leaving that chapter of their life for something better. They were easily able to buy a ride to their desired system. It was a warm and green planet. Mostly home to farmers. It was out of the way, and it was perfect.

There they bought a cheap landspeeder. Anakin wasn’t too thrilled with it, but Obi-Wan promised Anakin could alter it however he saw fit. They made their way over a long drive through the farmlands and forests. Until they came to an isolated house nestled against a forest and a nearby farming town. 

They parked the speeder and made their way inside. But once inside Anakin paused. He crossed his arms across his chest. His worry and fear easy to read without the aid of the Force. 

“Anakin, it will be fine,” Obi-Wan said as he smiled at Anakin. 

The two had their arms linked together as they walked down a hall. They stopped at a door. While Obi-Wan looked happy with a warm smile on his face, Anakin frowned. He looked worried. He glanced over at Obi-Wan. 

“What if I . . . what I do something? Something bad?” Anakin asked nervously. 

“Do what?” Obi-Wan half laughed. 

“I don’t know!”

Obi-Wan leaned in and kissed Anakin on the mouth. “You’ll be perfect, I promise.” 

The door slid open and the two walked in. There in the room was a large white crib. Obi-Wan had to pull Anakin, who was a bit reluctant to approach the crib. But finally the two made it. Obi-Wan unlaced his arm and reached down into the crib. He brought up a baby swaddled in a white blanket. Obi-Wan cradled the baby for a moment. A brilliant smile was upon his face as he looked down at the small child. 

“He’s perfect,” Obi-Wan whispered. He then looked up and moved closer to Anakin as he held the baby out for him to hold. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What? What? Two visions for the price of one? Yeah this ended up combining two of the visions.


	5. Just Breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20 Days of Obikin Challenge: Day 1. “I’ve got you. Breathe, okay? I’ve got you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit on the short side compared to the others. It's for a prompt challenge.

_ Anakin. _

It was the thought pushing Obi-Wan forward through the maze of corridors and stairways. The thick green smoke was everywhere. Already it stung at Obi-Wan’s eyes and nostrils. His mouth and throat were dry and felt as if they were on fire. He placed a hand on the smooth durasteel wall. He had to get out of this place, to get to fresh air. But not yet, he couldn’t. Anakin was still in here.

He pushed on. He was now leaning heavily on his arm. His vision was blurry and often doubled. His legs felt unsteady. Yet he kept pushing forward. 

_ Anakin . . . _

Obi-Wan had to find Anakin. But it was becoming hard to move. His legs felt as if they were chained down. His movements were sluggish and often late in responding. He stumbled forward and just barely caught himself on the wall. His mind spun from the movement, and he could no longer stay up right. He fell into the green smoke. It swirled and curled around him. 

_. . . Anakin . . . _

  
  


“Obi-Wan!” 

Someone was calling his name. But it the voice sounded distant and muffled. As if it was underwater or coming through a wall. 

“Obi-Wan! Wake up!”

He tried to open his eyes, but as soon as he did they stung and instantly watered. He tried to bring a hand up to rub his eyes clear, but his hands were heavy. He just . . . he just couldn’t . . . breathe! At once the coughing started. Deep painful coughs that shook his entire body and pained his sides and back. Force, it hurt. His lungs. His throat. His mouth. His nose. 

“Just breathe,” a soothing voice said. “You’re alright.” 

He didn’t want to breathe because it was so painful, but his body kept pushing the air in and out. Each new breath in brought in fresh clean air. Each breath out pushed the toxic air out.

“I’ve got you. Breathe, okay? I’ve got you.” 

His vision was starting to clear, and through the tears he could make out Anakin’s face. “Ana . . . kin?” Obi-Wan said in a rough voice. Anakin smiled a brilliantly down at him. “How did . . . you get out? I thought . . . you were still . . . in there . . .”

“I managed to stay one-step ahead of the poisonous gas,” Anakin said. 

Obi-Wan realized Anakin was holding him. His arms were wrapped around Obi-Wan securing him tightly to Anakin’s chest. The two were sitting on the hard ground. The orange sun of the planet was setting. The sky was turning into a purple twilight. Clone troopers were seen in the distance quickly approaching them. 

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. It was the first clear painfree breath he’d had in a while. Yet his body was tired, most likely exhausted from fighting off the poison. He leaned his head against Anakin’s shoulder. His eyes were heavy and started to droop. 

“Get some rest, Obi-Wan,” Anakin whispered. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.” Obi-Wan gave in and let his eyes shut. It felt so good to have them closed. He felt Anakin lean over and gently kiss the top of his forehead. “I’ve always get you,” he heard Anakin whisper before he finally fell into a welcomed sleep. 


	6. Imperfect Jedi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20 Days of Obikin Challenge: Day 2. “Hold me. Just for a bit, okay? I just… I need someone to hold me.”

Sand. It had to be sand. Kriffin nine hells Anakin hated sand. He hated everything about it. What was worse, he hated being stuck in it. He had been following General Grievous’ trail. The coward had run from battle, again. The cyborg had run into one of the caves that bordered the desert. Even now Anakin could still hear the battle raging. Vibrations shook the walls from cannon fire. Sand sprinkled down on the Jedi.

The ground had been getting softer and softer the deeper Anakin had gone into the cave. He was now ankle deep in soft loose sand. He held his lightsaber up as a light source. Large fresh claw marks were scratched into the walls. It appeared Greivous had managed to avoid walking through the sand. At this rate Anakin wouldn’t catch up with the Separatist commander. It was best he turn around. It annoyed him to no end to let Greivous go, but there would be no catching up to him like this. 

He turned and started to make his way out. He would be glad to be free of this sand and back on solid ground. But then a large tremor shook the cave. Anakin’s flesh hand grabbed onto the to side of the cave wall for support. Sand poured down from the cave walls as the tremor continued. Finally it was calm. The soft sound of sand falling gently echoed through the cave. 

Yet something was wrong. The Force was screaming with danger. Anakin glanced up and down the cave trying to discern where the danger was coming from, not realizing it was coming from underneath him. A large cracking sound was heard and suddenly all the sand was rushing down into the tunnel into a newly created gash in the floor. Anakin tried to brace himself, but the sand was too much. He lost his footing and fell. He was being dragged by the sand into the pit. 

Sand was everywhere. Completely encasing him. Memories of his childhood, ones he tried to bury long ago, surfaced up. He was huddled against the wall of Watto’s shop as a sandstorm thrashed across the Tatooine landscape. He, a mere child, had been locked outside during the storm. Punishment for not being quick enough with his chores. The sand pelted into the poor boy. Each grain stung and bit the skin where it struck.

Anakin was snapped from his memories by hand grabbing his arm. Two strong hands were pulling him up and out of the sand. Slowly he was lifted higher and higher. He was free from the sand.

“General! Are you all right?” an obvious voice of a clone asked. 

Anakin didn’t respond. He only took deep breaths. He felt himself being grabbed by the familiar hands of a clone trooper as they swung him onto a swoop bike. 

“General Kenobi, we found General Skywalker,” a voice said. “We’re returning to your location.” 

Anakin closed his eyes. He focused on the Force. He tried to meditate and release his emotions as he had been trained to do. But his fear still nagged at him. He was barely aware when the swoop bike stopped. He was gently carried into a tent and laid to rest on a cot. A medic checked him over, claiming nothing was wrong, and he was left alone. He slowly sat up in his cot and hunched over. He brought his head into his hands and rested his elbows on his legs. 

“Anakin?” the familiar voice of Obi-Wan called. Anakin didn’t look up as he heard Obi-Wan approach his cot. He felt the weight of the other sit down on the side of the bed. “Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked again. His voice was laced in concern. “What happened? The medic said you were fine.”

What was Anakin going to say? Where was he even go to start? What would Obi-Wan even think? Here Anakin was lost in the memories of his childhood? Memories he should have suppressed or let go of years ago? 

“I . . .” Anakin started but found his voice choked up. He looked over at Obi-Wan.  “Hold me. Just for a bit, okay? I just . . . I need someone to hold me.”

There was a moment when Anakin thought Obi-Wan wouldn’t. That the older Jedi would start on one of his lectures about proper Jedi behavior. But instead Obi-Wan’s arms wrapped around Anakin, bringing him close. Obi-Wan’s acceptance was overwhelming. Tears stung Anakin’s eyes. He buried his head into Obi-Wan’s shoulder unwilling to let the other see. Anakin wrapped his own arms around Obi-Wan. 

Anakin just enjoyed the moment. He could feel the tension leaving him. He felt soothed by Obi-Wan’s touch and warmth. The two stayed like that for a long while, until Anakin finally pulled away. 

“Obi-Wan . . .” he said as shame started to creep inside of him. Anakin felt a hand under his chin. Obi-Wan lifted Anakin’s face so he could look the other in the eye. Instead of anger or disgust or annoyance, Obi-Wan’s eyes were soft, concerned, loving.

“Are you better?” Obi-Wan asked. Anakin could only nod a yes in response. “I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan apologized. “I should have realized it sooner. That you needed more . . . “ 

Anakin jerked his head away from Obi-Wan’s hand. There was a small pain growing in his heart. “Sorry to inconvenience you, Master Jedi,” Anakin grumbled. “I shall reflect and meditate on my actions and try to not let my emotions get the better of me in the future. I don’t need any more lectures from you.” 

A tense silence filled the tent even though a battle still raged on outside. 

“Anakin . . .” Obi-Wan said softly. “I . . .” Anakin finally let go of his stubbornness and looked over at his old master. Their eyes met. Anakin was a bit surprised to see hurt in Obi-Wan’s eyes. Then Obi-Wan leaned over and wrapped Anakin into an embrace. Anakin was stiff and awkward. “You’re not the only one who needed more,” Obi-Wan said softly. “I just thought it was just my weakness. I could be a better Jedi if I didn’t give into it. You would be a better Jedi.”

Anakin started to relax. “Give into what?” Anakin whispered. Obi-Wan only tightened his embrace. Anakin slowly wrapped his own arms around Obi-Wan again. 

“Give into this,” Obi-Wan said in a soft whisper. “Give into you.” 

“You’re not weak,” Anakin said. “Love isn’t a weakness.” 

“There is no emotion, there is peace,” Obi-Wan recited part of the Jedi code. “There is no passion, there is serenity.” 

“There is no peace without emotion,” Anakin argued. “How else would you know what peace is if you’ve never felt emotion? How else do you know what serenity is without knowing passion? We aren’t voidless emotionless creatures, Obi-Wan. The code isn’t . . . the code isn’t completely right.” 

Anakin felt Obi-Wan tense in his arms. Anakin pulled back and brought his hands up to Obi-Wan’s face. Cupping his face, Anakin brought their lips together. Anakin was eager and persistent in the kiss. Obi-Wan was hesitant if not a bit shocked, but slowly his mouth parted and he leaned into Anakin. Their lips moved together, both each discovering the taste of the other. Anakin was the one to pull away.

“Tell me this is wrong,” Anakin said as he leaned his forward against Obi-Wan’s. Obi-Wan looked into Anakin’s eyes. 

“It is,” Obi-Wan said slowly. “This is not the Jedi way.” Anakin couldn’t stop the pang of hurt he felt inside of him. “But . . .” Obi-Wan said as he hands cupped Anakin’s cheeks. “I’m not a perfect Jedi.” This time it was Obi-Wan who pulled into the kiss. 


	7. Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20 Days of Obikin Challenge: Day 4: Proposal.

“Daddy!” Luke gleefully shouted as he ran up to his father. Anakin Skywalker smiled warmly as he kneeled down with open arms so he could scoop up his son up into a big hug. Anakin spun his small son around.

“Were you good for grandma and grandpa?” Anakin asked his son.

“Yes,” Luke replied.

Jobal Naberrie walked into the living room with Leia by her side. Upon seeing her father, Leia rushed forward and hugged Anakin’s leg.

“They’ve been asking about you all morning,” Jobal said warmly.

“Thank you for watching them,” Anakin said.

“Anakin, it is no problem at all,” Jobal replied.

“Are we going to go home now?” Leia asked pulling on her father’s pant leg. Anakin wore the uniform of a Naboo pilot. Anakin knelt down picked up Leia with his other arm. He balanced both small children on either side of his hip.

“Yes, of course,” Anakin said smiling.

The former Jedi thanked his mother-in-law, and loaded his twins into his speeder. R2-D2 beeped a happy greeting towards the children. The twins had a hard staying in their seat as Anakin piloted the speeder out of the city of Theed and into the lake country. They were so excited their father was back, and they had to tell him about all the things he had missed.

Upon arriving at Varykino, the twins dashed out of the speeder and into the house. Anakin took his time unloading his droid along with the luggage. As he made his way inside the two small twins ran up to their father.

“Obi-Wan in here! Obi-Wan is here!” they both shouted gleefully as they ran circles around their father.

Anakin found his former Jedi master on a balcony overlooking the lake. As their eyes met, both of them smiled warmly.

“How very rare for you to come to Naboo,” Anakin said as he came to stand beside Obi-Wan. “Usually I only see you when we visit Coruscant. In fact the last time you were here might have been for Padme’s funeral. What brought you to Naboo? A mission?”

“No,” Obi-Wan said. “It’s all a personal visit.”

Anakin couldn’t help but throw cocky smile at Obi-Wan. He stepped closer to the older Jedi and wrapped his gloved hand around Obi-Wan’s waist. “Miss me that much?” Anakin said in a low tone. The small amount of pink that grew on Obi-Wan’s cheeks did not go unnoticed by Anakin.

“I always miss you,” Obi-Wan said. “It’s so quiet in the Temple without you.”

Anakin closed the distance between them completely. Obi-Wan wrapped an arm around Anakin while the other hand rested on Anakin’s cheek. Their lips met and kissed. Anakin pushed into Obi-Wan communicating how he too had missed the other. Their mouths had opened and each one tasted the other. However it was cut short by a high-pitch scream of a child that quickly dissolved into a loud laugh. The two seperated with a sigh as Anakin glanced back towards the house.

“I assure you,” Anakin grumbled. “It’s not quiet around here.”

“Anakin I have something to tell you,” Obi-Wan said. Anakin could sense the shift in tone. Obi-Wan was serious. Anakin returned his attention back to the other. “After four years . . .” Obi-Wan took a deep breath. “After four years of arguing and pleading with the council, I’ve finally done it.” Obi-Wan stepped forward, again bringing the two close together. “The code has finally been changed.”

Anakin’s eyes widen as he took a sharp intake of air. “What . . . what do you mean it has changed? How so?”

Obi-Wan could no longer stop his smile from growing. “Jedi can form attachments. They can love. They can marry . . . have children . . . You . . . you could come back to the Order . . .” The question was left unsaid, but it burned in Obi-Wan’s eyes.

“I . . . don’t know . . .” Anakin said. While he didn’t step away from Obi-Wan, he did look back toward the house. Back toward Luke and Leia.

“You don’t have to decide right away,” Obi-Wan said softly. “But . . .” Anakin’s gaze came back to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan held out Anakin’s lightsaber. Anakin reached hesitantly for it.

Anakin ran his hands over the saber. The weight was so familiar. He could easily recall each groove. He had last held it four years ago when he was exiled from the Order for secretly marrying and having children. “Thank you,” Anakin said in a soft whisper. He clipped the saber to his belt.

When he looked up, Obi-Wan held his own saber hilt. It was outstretched towards Anakin. Anakin couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“This weapon is your life,” Obi-Wan said softly. Silence stretched between them. Slowly Anakin brought his hand up and grabbed Obi-Wan’s lightsaber. However, Obi-Wan did not let go of his end. “Being a Jedi is my life, but I’ve come to realize something these past four years. _You_ are also my life. I was so torn. I debated heavily if I should leave the Order and come live with you here on Naboo with the twins. I came to understand why you kept your marriage to Padme a secret as I was also selfish. I wanted both. A relationship and to be a Jedi.”

Obi-Wan smiled his cocky smile. It was Anakin’s favorite smile. “That is why I fought the Council for four years to change the Code.”

“I guess that’s why you’re the Negotiator,” Anakin said.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan started. “I want you. I want my life to be your life. I love you. That’s why,” he glanced down at his lightsaber, “I would leave the Order for you. I’m putting my life into your hands.” Obi-Wan pushed his lightsaber into Anakin’s hand.

Anakin looked the lightsaber and then looked back up at Obi-Wan. Anakin took a step forward closing the gap between the two. Anakin gently pressed the lightsaber against Obi-Wan’s chest. “Are you proposing to me?” Obi-Wan’s cheeks flushed bright red and he looked down unable to meet Anakin’s gaze. Anakin brought two fingers under Obi-Wan’s chin with his free hand and lifted Obi-Wan’s head.

“I knew the Jedi were everything to you,” Anakin said gently as he leaned into Obi-Wan. “It’s why I never proposed first. I could never ask you to make a choice between me or the Order. But if you’re asking me . . .” Anakin gently pressed his lips against Obi-Wan’s giving the other the only answer he needed to have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 prompt ended up running long and I want to rewrite, so hopefully I'll get that posted up soon.


	8. To Be Free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by this[ picture.](http://a-gan.tumblr.com/post/137393351511/you-were-my-master-the-closest-thing-i-had-to-a)
> 
> Obi-Wan died at the Second Battle of Geonosis, at least that's what Anakin believed. Until Obi-Wan shows back up as a Sith trying to kill Anakin.

“Master?” Anakin asked in shock. His lightsaber, which had been held ready to attack, fell slightly. Anakin couldn’t believe it. In front of him was Obi-Wan Kenobi, his former Jedi master, except . . . 

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan replied in his smooth voice. His face was serious. His red lightsaber was held at ready. 

“How . . . you . . . You died! At the Second Battle of Geonosis! I . . .” Anakin was at a lost of words as he again looked over at the Sith in front of him as there was no denying Obi-Wan was a Sith. He radiated the dark side of the Force. His robes and tunic were very similar to that of a Jedi, but they were in blacks and reds. His beard and hair were neatly trimmed with his hair brushed back. Though the most telling difference were the eyes. No longer the soft blue Anakin had grown up under, but a harsh yellow.

Obi-Wan had still not replied to Anakin. Anakin was a mix of emotions. “Why? Why did you fall? How? Obi-Wan, please answer me!” 

Obi-Wan shifted his weight. The Force screamed at Anakin in warning. He didn’t want to believe Obi-Wan would attack him, and he almost didn’t bring his own lightsaber up in time. Obi-Wan started off in a furious and aggressive offensive. Obi-Wan wasn’t using his Soresu Form III lightsaber moves. Instead he was using Djem So, Form V. Each blow Anakin struck, Obi-Wan shifted into a counter strike often using Anakin’s own strikes to go back towards himself.

“Obi-Wan!” Anakin cried. “Why?” 

Obi-Wan knocked Anakin’s blade to the side and jabbed forward. Anakin managed to sidestep the blow, but the red saber managed to burn his upper arm. Anakin couldn’t . . . he couldn’t fight against Obi-Wan . . . his master . . . but . . . Obi-Wan was fighting seriously against Anakin. His blows were on point. Deadly. Fast. Anakin took a steadying breath, reestablished his connection with the Force, and pushed on. 

_ Obi-Wan is a Sith _ , Anakin told himself.  _ He has killed his fellow Jedi brethren _ . In fact moments before Anakin had seen Obi-Wan, he had discovered three slain Jedi. Their corpses all marked with lightsaber burns. But . . . 

“You were the perfect Jedi!” Anakin shouted between sizzling strikes of the sabers. “You were the best of us!” 

Anakin recalled Obi-Wan’s death on Geonosis. How he had cried. How he had hidden himself away, ashamed of his feelings and grief that he was supposed to release into the Force but simply found he couldn’t. No matter how hard he tried and meditated, the pain of losing Obi-Wan haunted Anakin. And now Obi-Wan stood before him trying to strike him down. 

Blow after blow Obi-Wan’s red lightsaber battered down on Anakin. There were moments Anakin could have easily pushed the duel more into his favor, but he hadn’t. Each of those moves would have too risky and would have possibly injured or killed Obi-Wan. 

Obi-Wan pushed Anakin’s saber to the side and brought up a swift kick to Anakin’s side. Anakin let himself roll with the kick and then pushed himself up. At once the red lightsaber was pushing down on his blue. Anakin weakened his hold, allowing Obi-Wan to push towards him, but he used Obi-Wan’s momentum to push him to the side. Anakin surged forward, closing the gap between them. He was planning to knee Obi-Wan in the chest and hopefully knock the air out of him.

But then Obi-Wan backed up bringing his body out of range of Anakin’s upcoming knee. Anakin stumbled forward and Obi-Wan grabbed him by the arm where he had been burned by the saber earlier. Anakin couldn’t help but shout out in pain, but he was able to twist away before the red lightsaber was brought down on him. 

Anakin was panting. This duel was going on too long. Anakin wasn’t on his game. He was too unfocused. Again and again Obi-Wan slashed and stabbed at Anakin. It was getting harder and harder for Anakin to time his blocks and parries against Obi-Wan. Anakin stepped wrong, his attention flashed briefly down to his footing, and then Anakin was completely off his feet. He had been hit by a powerful Force blow. Anakin flew several feet and crashed hard into the ground. 

He was stunned for a few seconds, but quickly got to his feet. But he was unsteady. The blow had shaken him up a bit too much. Obi-Wan was approaching slowly and confidently. Unlike Anakin, he didn’t appear winded or tired. Then in a flash he dashed forward, bringing down his red lightsaber against Anakin’s once again. But now Anakin was really struggling. His blows were weak. His footwork sloppy. Obi-Wan managed to side swipe Anakin, causing the Jedi to trip and fall. 

Anakin’s vision blurred as the world spun. He felt his lightsaber jerked from his hands. His vision was clear enough to see Obi-Wan holding the blue lightsaber in his free hand. He turned it off and clipped it to his belt. The Sith then approached Anakin. The red lightsaber pointed down at the Jedi. 

A strong pain of heartache pounded through Anakin to think he would be killed by Obi-Wan, but Anakin knew he would have never been able to strike Obi-Wan down. It was better this way Anakin figured. The world continue to blur and spin. Anakin realized he had been drugged. Most likely when Obi-Wan had grabbed the burn on his arm. Anakin wouldn’t have noticed something stabbing him. 

Obi-Wan stood above Anakin. His yellow eyes glowing along with the red of the lightsaber. He stood there merely pointing the lightsaber down at Anakin, but then the red beam disappeared. Obi-Wan clipped his own saber hilt next to Anakin’s. He kneeled down. Anakin’s conscious was fading in and out. The last thing he saw was Obi-Wan smile as he reached forward and cupped Anakin’s cheek.

 

* * *

 

 

Anakin awoke in a strange dimly lit room in a large bed. He could smell bacta, but couldn’t taste it. He hadn’t been submerged in a tank, but bacta patches had been applied to him. He had a pair of sleep pants on and no shirt. That’s when Anakin noticed the thick collar around his neck. A cold wave washed through him as he realized he was unable to access the Force. 

_ A Force suppression collar _ , Anakin realized as his flesh hand came up to the collar.

To be without the Force was . . . horrible, especially for Anakin one who had been born of the Force. He was born connected to the Force. It was a soothing, constant presence in Anakin’s life. To be without it wasn’t just uncomfortable, but painful. Something vital was missing inside Anakin. It was if he didn’t have enough oxygen to breath. 

“You have a history of reckless escape plans,” came Obi-Wan’s smooth voice. “That collar is there to help stop you from doing anything too reckless and stupid.”

Anakin sat up. His body was sore. The bed was situated against the middle of a wall. To the right was a row of large windows, though all had heavy dark curtains pulled in front of them. Yet there were a few beams of sunlight escaping from the edges of the curtains where they didn’t quite cover the window. In front of the windows was a table. Obi-Wan sat in a chair with his feet crossed and propped up on the table.

A million questions ran through Anakin’s head. What happened? Why had Obi-Wan taken him here? Why heal him? Why had Obi-Wan fallen? Why was he a Sith? Was he apprenticed under Count Dooku or the other Sith? On and on they went. Yet he didn’t voice a single one. Anakin found himself unable to form anything into words. Instead an awkward silence fell in the room. 

Obi-Wan uncrossed his legs and brought them down to the ground. He leaned forward his chair, clearly examining Anakin. “How are you feeling?” he asked. 

“Why does it matter?” Anakin asked. He found his words shaky and rough. His throat was dry. Obi-Wan stood from his chair and slowly walked over to Anakin. He stopped at the edge of the bed. 

“Because you matter,” Obi-Wan said. 

“What- what does that mean?” Anakin asked. He didn’t understand. Obi-Wan had fought as if to kill Anakin. 

“I didn’t go through all of this to kill you, Anakin,” Obi-Wan replied. 

“All of this? What exactly is all of this? Drugging me? Kidnapping me? Keeping me prisoner? What is going on? Why . . . why are you a Sith? What happened?”

Obi-Wan sat down on the edge of the bed. Anakin pushed himself into the the headboard to gain some distance, but Obi-Wan was still close. Too close. “Anakin,” Obi-Wan said softly. “I did this all for you. I fell to the dark side and became a Sith for you.”

“ . . . What?” Anakin asked. “Why did you think you had to do this for me? I never wanted this!”

Obi-Wan smiled sadly. “ _ Wonoksh Qyâsik nun _ ,” Obi-Wan said. A shiver ran through Anakin hearing those words. “The Force shall free me. It’s the last line of the Code of the Sith.” Obi-Wan paused as if waiting for Anakin to say something, but Anakin was simply at a lost of words. “Anakin do you feel free as a Jedi?”

“Of course,” Anakin answered at once. 

“I want you to think about it. Truly think about it. You know what it’s like to be a slave, more so than any living Jedi. Think about the Jedi Order. The Jedi Code. The council. This war. Think about it, Anakin. How many times when you were a padawan did I find you angry and frustrated at the way of the Jedi? Are you free? Or are you a slave to the Jedi?” 

Anakin opened his mouth, but found he was at a lost of words. His mind ran over Obi-Wan’s words. “I . . . I am not a slave,” Anakin said. It wasn’t his most confident words, but he was certain. He was no longer a slave. That part of him was gone. Obi-Wan sighed at Anakin’s answer. 

“Perhaps not the best wording with you,” Obi-Wan continued. “Very well, I’ll try to tell you why I left the order. Why I fell to the dark side. Why I became a Sith. Like I said I did it all for you, Anakin. You are the Chosen One and the order was simply using you as a tool, a weapon, for this war Jedi should not be fighting in. This was not bringing balance to the Force. 

“I tried talking to the Council. I pleaded that we as Jedi should step away from the war, but of course they couldn’t allow that. If we stepped away then the Republic would fall. The Sith would gain more power, and the council could never allow that. I begged for them to reassign you, but you were the best of the best. Reckless and careless, but you got results when no one else could. You were the one moving the tides of the war.

“I knew I had to act by myself, so I left. I faked my death on Geonosis. I took up Count Dooku on his offer to fall to the dark side. I did it all to save you.”

“No . . .” Anakin said softly. “No. No Obi-Wan. You didn’t have to do this for me! Why didn’t you tell me all of this? You could have confided in me! I would have gone with you to talk your case to the council. You didn’t have to do this for me!”

“They never understood you, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said harshly. “They never wanted you! You never good enough! Too old. Too young. Too angry. You lacked proper training. You were too talented. Too strong. Too ignorant. Too attached. Too emotional. They never had the patience for you. They didn’t want to help you learn to handle your emotions properly. To work through your grief at losing your mother, both when you left her as a child and later when she died. How many times were you told to simply ‘Let it go into the Force?’” 

Anakin was once again at a lost of words, but he could feel inside of him his emotions bubbling up. The very ones the Order had told Anakin time and time again to release or bury deep inside of him for they were unneeded by the Jedi. He felt the tears building behind his eyes. 

“You can’t can you?” Obi-Wan said softly. “No matter what you could never release your emotions into the Force. They called you the Chosen One, one born of the Force, yet the Jedi didn’t even understand what that meant. Do you know how much emotion is let go into the Force by the Jedi? When the Force conceived you, of course you were an emotional creature. The emotions are apart of you. Apart of the Force part of you. You can’t let them go back into the Force, for they only go back into you.”

Obi-Wan leaned over, yet Anakin didn’t move. He was too numb. Too lost in Obi-Wan’s words. Obi-Wan brought a gentle hand up to Anakin’s cheek. 

“If you kept going, this was going to tear you apart Anakin,” Obi-Wan said. His face was close to Anakin’s. “The Order was going to push you past the breaking point. I couldn’t allow that. It would destroy the Jedi Order or the Republic or worse you. If that mean I had to fall to the dark side and become a Sith to protect you, than so be it.”

Obi-Wan’s thumb gently caressed Anakin’s cheek. Anakin’s eyes were starting to water. “Obi-Wan,” he murmured softly. “You . . .” He couldn’t stop the tears from slowly falling. Obi-Wan had given up everything for Anakin, if what Obi-Wan said was true. Obi-Wan was the perfect Jedi. A member of the council. The Jedi were everything to Obi-Wan, to merely throw it away for Anakin’s sake . . .

Obi-Wan leaned forward and started to kiss the tears on Anakin’s cheek. His kissing moved slowly onto the mouth. Obi-Wan left soft kisses on Anakin’s lips. The Jedi was too stunned to return the gesture. Obi-Wan’s kisses became more demanding. He pressed into Anakin, who slowly opened his mouth to accept Obi-Wan. Slowly, eventually Anakin responded. He started to kiss Obi-Wan back. 

It was Obi-Wan who pulled away first. He smiled lovingly at Anakin. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do that?” Obi-Wan asked. “No longer must I feel like I have to release those emotions. Now I get to keep them.  _ Act _ on them.” 

“What happens next?” Anakin asked. “Are you going to turn me to the dark side?”

“No,” Obi-Wan replied. Again he leaned forward and kissed Anakin. He whispered lowly, “Stay as you are Anakin.” Then he pulled away and stood up from the bed. “Now be good and stay here,” he said. 

“Where are you going?” Anakin asked. 

A dark smile grew across Obi-Wan’s face. It was an expression worthy of a Sith lord, not a Jedi master. He turned. His cloaks fluttered in the air as he approached the door. There was no inside door panel, Anakin realized, but the door slid open anyways. Without the Force, Anakin wouldn’t be able to open the door, but Obi-Wan could. The Sith paused in the door and looked back at Anakin.

“To make you truly free, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said darkly. “To make sure you stay free.” 


End file.
